The Marketing Architects

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how sophisticated advertising algorithms can skew A/B test results, potentially leading marketers to draw misleading conclusions about ad performance.Topics covered:   [00:45] "Where A-B Testing Goes Wrong”[02:00] Divergent delivery in online advertising platforms[03:00] How user types and targeting policies impact tests[04:10] Pizza party analogy explaining divergent delivery[05:40] Marketing Architects' approach to testing[06:50] Using synthetic audiences for more controlled testing To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Braun, M., & Schwartz, E. M. (2024). Where A-B Testing Goes Wrong: How Divergent Delivery Affects What Online Experiments Cannot (and Can) Tell You About How Customers Respond to Advertising. Journal of Marketing.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Only 61% of marketing metrics tracked are meaningful to business, brand, and performance. The rest? Vanity metrics. What happens when marketers focus on the wrong numbers?This week, Elena’s joined by VP Analytics Matt Hultgren to discuss the perils of marketing misattribution. They explore how overvaluing certain metrics can lead to wasted budgets and misguided strategies. Matt shares insights on identifying misattribution, its consequences, and practical steps to improve measurement accuracy. Plus, learn why having your own measurement solution is crucial and why you should be skeptical of any single model claiming to definitively prove marketing’s impact. Topics covered: [01:00] Key findings from DMA study on marketing effectiveness metrics[04:30] Common signs of marketing misattribution[07:00] Frequently misattributed metrics and attribution tricks[10:00] Long-term consequences of relying on incorrect metrics[12:00] Steps to measure the right KPIs and avoid misattribution[19:00] Practical tips for marketers with limited budgets To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2023 Marketing Week Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/wrong-effectiveness-metrics-focus/Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how the content of TV shows influences viewer perceptions of advertisements. They discuss new research on the "halo effect," and its implications for ad effectiveness across different TV genres.Topics covered:   [01:00] "The Influence of Television Content on Advertisement: A Neurophysiological Study" [03:15] Defining the halo effect in TV advertising[04:20] Impact of high-quality programs on ad perception[05:45] Ranking TV genres by brand value transfer[07:10] How different show types impact brand associations[08:50] The importance of engaging ads regardless of content  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Frontiers in Psychology. (2024, February 1). The influence of television content on advertisement: A neurophysiological study. *Media Psychology*, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1266906   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

95% of iOS users opt out of ad tracking. A judge ruled Google acted illegally to maintain its search monopoly. And the company backtracked on plans to eliminate third-party cookies... A lot is happening in the world of search.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the changing landscape of search marketing. They discuss Google's evolving role, the effectiveness of targeting strategies, and how AI chatbots are reshaping search behavior. Learn how to prepare your brand for a future where consumers increasingly bypass traditional search engines in this week’s episode.Topics covered: [0:47] Google's decision on third-party cookies[4:45] Targeting effectiveness: first-party data vs third-party cookies[11:00] Impact of the recent antitrust ruling against Google[14:47] The state of paid search advertising[20:23] How AI chatbots are changing search behavior[22:01] Strategies to prepare for the future of search To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: 2023 New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/technology/google-antitrust-ruling.htmlGet more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We're breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob explore recent data on CMO tenure, revealing that the role may be more stable than commonly perceived. They discuss surprising statistics about tenure length, differences between B2B and B2C brands, and career progression for CMOs.Topics covered: [00:55] "The CMO Tenure Study 2024: An Expanded View of CMO Tenure and Background"[02:00] Average CMO tenure at Fortune 500 companies[03:20] The differences between B2B and B2C brand CMOs[04:55] Expanded responsibilities of modern CMOs[05:35] Career progression for CMOs after leaving roles[06:45] Diversity statistics for CMO positions To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Spencer Stuart. (2024). *CMO Tenure Study 2024: An Expanded View of CMO Tenure and Background*. Retrieved from https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2024-an-expanded-view-of-cmo-tenure-and-background   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Brand extensions gain an average of 8.3% more market share and have 8.7% lower advertising costs compared to new brands entering a category. But they also come with risks. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the world of brand extensions. They discuss research on what makes extensions succeed or fail, share examples of extensions gone right (and very wrong), and debate whether Dyson's new headphones are genius or folly. Plus, learn why Lego might be the greatest brand extension success story of all time. Topics covered: [01:00] Dyson's extension into headphones[04:00] Research on brand extension success factors[09:00] Uber's expansion into food delivery[15:45] BIC's failed disposable underwear line[19:30] Lego's empire of successful extensions[23:00] Harley-Davidson's ill-fated perfume launch[26:30] Dove's expansion from women's to men's products[27:30] Evian's bizarre water bra product To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources:International Business & Economics Research Journal Article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265222329_Brand_Extensions_A_Qualitative_Meta-Analysis_Of_20_Years_Of_Marketing_Research/fulltext/5485c1130cf2ef344787c30c/Brand-Extensions-A-Qualitative-Meta-Analysis-Of-20-Years-Of-Marketing-Research.pdf Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob reveal how influencer marketing’s success hinges on aligning the right influencer with the right product for the right audience.Topics covered:   [01:05] “Understanding Influencer Marketing: The Role of Congruence Between Influencers, Products and Consumers”[01:21] Examples of good and bad promotion[04:35] Influencers in the 18th century[05:38] What makes an influencer campaign successful?[08:30] The difference between an influencer and a celebrity To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Belanche, D., Casaló, L. V., Flavián, M., & Ibáñez-Sánchez, S. (2021). Understanding influencer marketing: The role of congruence between influencers, products and consumers. *Journal of Business Research, 132*, 186-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.067.   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Patagonia. Dove. Ben & Jerry’s. These are just some of the brands that have leaned into purpose-led messaging over the last decade. But could brand purpose be just another marketing trend that misses the mark? In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the rise of brand purpose and its effectiveness as a marketing strategy. They explore the history of corporate social responsibility, debate whether purpose-driven campaigns really drive results, and share examples of brands that get it right (and wrong). Plus, test your knowledge of famous brand purpose statements in a fun guessing game. Topics covered: [01:00] Nick Asbury's critique of brand purpose [04:00] How Dove’s famous campaign misinterpreted data[07:46] The history of corporate social responsibility and brand purpose [10:00] Why brand purpose should align with business goals [14:00] Measuring the success of purpose-driven campaigns [17:30] Do consumers care about brand purpose? [19:30] The role of purpose in employee engagement To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: 2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/good-intentions-lead-to-bad-marketing-why-purpose-is-missing-the-mark/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how dynamic content in video ads captures and holds attention, emphasizing that movement and change are crucial for making ads more engaging and memorable.Topics covered:   [00:45] “Influence of Dynamic Content on Visual Attention During Video Advertisements”[01:45] Elements that capture attention[03:55] Traditional methods vs Dynamic Attention Theory[05:10] Is attention influenced by our environment?[06:45] The benefits of eye tracking studies[11:25] What type of fireworks grab your attention? To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Wooley, B., Bellman, S., Hartnett, N., Rask, A., & Varan, D. (2022). Influence of dynamic content on visual attention during video advertisements. *European Journal of Marketing*. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-07-2022-0309-0566  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Up to 50% of business value comes from brand. Plus, strong brands tend to outperform the stock market, justify higher prices, and drive customer loyalty. So why is brand building often seen as nothing more than an extra cost? In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dig into the real value of brand. They explore how to measure brand's impact, creative best practices for building brand, and which channels are most effective for brand building. Plus, hosts test their knowledge with a quick quiz on the world's most valuable brands. Topics covered: [01:00] Kantar research on brand's impact on business value [02:00] Brand Finance's Global 500 report highlights  [08:30] Brief history of branding from ancient Egypt to today [12:00] How brand improves pricing power and reduces marketing costs [15:45] Brand's impact on perceived product quality [18:00] Creative best practices for building differentiated brands [19:25] Why TV and audio are so powerful for brand building [22:10] Methods for measuring brand value and impact  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Kantar Brand Valuation Article: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/brands/brand-valuation-from-marketing-metric-to-boardroom-essential  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how sponsoring sports events can boost brand perception and sales. They explore the importance of engaging participants in experiential marketing.Topics covered:   [00:40] “An Empirical Exploration of Sports Sponsorship”[01:40] Sponsoring at sports games[02:35] The value of sponsoring smaller sports events[03:40] The three areas of a runner’s perception[05:05] Examples of good experimental marketing[07:35] Make them excited about the experience! To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Frontiers. (2021). An empirical exploration of sports sponsorship: Activation of experiential marketing, sponsorship satisfaction, brand equity, and purchase intention. *Frontiers in Psychology*. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.677137/full Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Brands spend billions every year to run TV ads during the most popular programs. But are these expensive timeslots worth it? This week, Elena, Angela, Rob, and special guest VP Media Ron Blevins explore common misconceptions about media quality. Learn why low-cost inventory doesn't always mean low quality, how to evaluate media beyond traditional metrics, and where brands can find opportunities to gain a competitive advantage. Topics covered:   [01:00] Defining media quality[05:00] Ron's background and perspective shift at Marketing Architects[09:04] Misconceptions about opportunistic media buying[12:33] Where brands go wrong when evaluating media quality[15:15] Metrics for evaluating true media quality and performance[18:00] The future of measuring media quality[21:30] What else is undervalued?  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/how-a-better-understanding-of-media-quality-can-help-unstick-culture/en-gb/6585 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss why first-party data is more reliable and cost-effective than third-party data. They learn that investing in first-party data is essential for accuracy and avoids high costs associated with third party data. Topics covered:   [00:50] “Is First or Third-Party Audience Data More Effective for Reaching the ‘Right’ Customers?”[01:40] How much can Google ads predict your interests?[04:25] Comparing performance data with deterministic and probabilistic segments[06:35] The resistance of using contextual targeting[08:25] Finding the right dancing partner To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Neumann, Nico and Tucker, Catherine E. and Subramanyam, Kumar and Marshall, John, Is First- or Third-Party Audience Data More Effective For Reaching The `Right' Customers? The Case of IT Decision-Makers (May 19, 2023). Forthcoming - Quantitative Marketing and Economics, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4083057 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4083057  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

NBC Universal paid nearly $8 billion for Olympic broadcast rights through 2032. But is sports marketing really worth the cost?This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the world of sports marketing as the Summer Olympics kick off. They explore the surprising scale of sports advertising, the evolution of athlete endorsements, and whether Olympic sponsorships are worth the premium price tag. Plus, hear why many brands could get more for their dollars by looking beyond major sporting events.Topics covered:   [01:00] Looking to the 2024 Paris Olympics[02:14] Scale of global sports marketing spend[06:00] History of athlete endorsements[09:00] Notable brand deals for the 2024 Olympics[12:00] Pros and cons of micro-influencer athletes[13:00] Contrarian view on sports marketing ROI[18:30] Alternatives to major sports sponsorships  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2024 Ad Age Article: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/2024-summer-olympics-advertisers-sponsors-and-media-plans-paris-games/2566426 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how marketers can leverage framing and decoy effects to sway consumer choices and boost confidence in their decisions.Topics covered:   [00:40] “Changing Decisions: The Interaction Between Framing and Decoy Effects”[01:30] Background on cognitive biases[02:25] Framing vs. decoy effect[03:10] Congruent vs. incongruent decoys[05:55] How do positive and negative scenarios affect decisions? To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Di Crosta, Adolfo, Anna Marin, Rocco Palumbo, Irene Ceccato, Pasquale La Malva, Matteo Gatti, Giulia Prete, Riccardo Palumbo, Nicola Mammarella, and Alberto Di Domenico. 2023. "Changing Decisions: The Interaction between Framing and Decoy Effects" Behavioral Sciences 13, no. 9: 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13090755  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Removing TV from a marketing campaign can reduce its impact by 39%. That’s a massive drop—and evidence of the impact including TV in your marketing mix has.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the most effective marketing channel combinations. They explore how TV boosts other channels' performance, the creative challenges inherent to multi-channel campaigns, and the complexities of buying and measuring across channels. Plus, hear their takes on which two channels they'd choose for a D2C brand campaign (if TV wasn't an option).Topics covered:   [01:00] Kantar study on TV's impact on campaigns[03:30] ThinkBox research on channel combinations[07:00] Creative challenges of multi-channel campaigns[11:00] Media buying across channels[13:00] Measuring multi-channel marketing strategies[20:00] AI's role in cross-channel marketing[24:00] Top channels for D2C brands  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2023 Kantar Report: https://www.bandt.com.au/kantar-study-finds-removing-tv-could-reduce-a-campaigns-impact-by-39/2022 Thinkbox TV Article: https://www.thinkbox.tv/research/thinkbox-research/demand-generation#key-findings Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob dive into the new world of Large Language Models (LLMs), revealing how AI models are shaking up market research with impressive accuracy. They also stress the need to blend this cutting-edge tech with traditional methods for better insights and data.Topics covered:   [01:00] “Determining the Validity of Large Language Models for Automated Perceptual Analysis”[01:20] Using LLMs in market research[02:20] Battling skepticism with proof[04:25] LLMs can visualize brand similarities[06:15] Why there is pushback for adopting LLMs[07:50] Combining LLMs with human insight To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Li, Peiyao and Castelo, Noah and Katona, Zsolt and Sarvary, Miklos, Determining the Validity of Large Language Models for Automated Perceptual Analysis (December 6, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4241291 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4241291  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Artificial intelligence is taking over the world of market research with its ability to accurately predict human responses. But how can you best use AI to help make informed decisions about your business?This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the world of AI-driven market research, exploring the latest advancements in and practical applications of large language models (LLMs) for better understanding your audience.Topics covered:   [0:47] Exploring AI and market research with LLMs[1:03] Study on language models simulating human responses[4:45] Synthetic audiences vs. traditional methods[11:00] Practical uses of LLMs in marketing[14:47] Launching ScriptSooth for pretesting TV commercials[20:23] History of pretesting and transition to synthetic audiences[22:01] Potential futures of AI  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2023 Cornell University Study: https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2209.06899 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss research showing that starting customer surveys with open-ended positive questions can boost spending and loyalty by reinforcing positive memories and attitudes, making it a simple yet powerful strategy for increasing sales.Topics covered:   [00:45] “Mere Measurement “Plus”: How Solicitation of Open-Ended Positive Feedback Influences Customer Purchase Behavior”[02:13] Asking for feedback brings more sales[04:45] Customer commitment and consistency[05:25] Positive experience reconstruct memories[07:40] Turning causal tasters into food lovers To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Mere Measurement “Plus”: How Solicitation of Open-Ended Positive Feedback Influences Customer Purchase Behavior by Sterling A. Bone, Katherine N. Lemon, Clay M. Voorhees, Katie A. Liljenquist, Paul W. Fombelle, Kristen Bell Detienne, and R. Bruce Money is Journal of Marketing Research, 54(February), 156-170, 2017. The DOI for the article is 10.1509/jmr.14.0232.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

How much should your competition influence your marketing strategy? When should you focus on them? And when does it make more sense to ignore them?  In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss competition in marketing. Together, they review strategies for brands navigating competitive pressure and share real-world examples of how some companies have positioned themselves against their rivals. Plus, learn why standing out is sometimes easiest when you don’t obsess over your rivals for consumer dollars. Topics covered:   [1:11] Marketing laws: double jeopardy and duplication of purchase[2:14] Risks of over-focusing on competitors[5:20] Creating and dominating new categories[8:03] Rob's history lesson on category entry points[14:04] Potential pitfalls of rebranding[17:54] Using different channels as a competitive advantage   To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2018 Building Distinctive Brand Assets Book: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Distinctive-Brand-Assets-Romaniuk/dp/0190311509/  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.